Colin Powell backs marriage equality

Just weeks after President Obama announced his support of marriage equality, a veteran of his predecessor’s administration has also made his position public.

Former secretary of state Colin Powell, who served under under President George W. Bush, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer today that he supports same-sex marriage.

Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was implemented. Powell clarified to Blitzer that it was Congress’ choice to implement DADT, and that he had recommended it at the time “to get us out of an even worse outcome that could have occurred.”

Powell also added that he has friends who are gay and have remained in committed relationships with loving and stable families:

“I know a lot of friends who are individually gay but are in partnerships with loved ones, and they are as stable a family as my family is and they raise children. And so I don’t see any reason not to say that they should be able to get married under the laws of their state or the laws of the country.”

New polls have recently shown that more Americans are increasingly in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage since the President’s announcement. These numbers come at a time when same-sex marriage is appearing on more and more state ballots across the country. Currently, 38 states have laws that define marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Powell was in favor of the repeal of DADT, and has broken from the conservative base of the Republican Party in the past, including in 2008 when he chose to endorse Barack Obama over John McCain. Earlier this week, he told NBC’s “Today” that he has not chosen a candidate to endorse yet in 2012.

Powell also made quite a bit of news today with his appearance on msnbc’s “Morning Joe,” openly criticizing the far-Right foreign-policy advisors that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is employing (see below) and saying, “C’mon, Mitt – think!” See that appearance below, and Steve Benen’s commentary on The Maddow Blog.